You need a healthy immune system to help you fight infection and disease, and one of the easiest ways to boost your community is by following a healthy diet. When you eat healthily, it provides your body with all the vitamins and minerals and energy needed to help you fight disease.
Ideally, follow a diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and avoid smoking and using alcohol to excess. Ensure you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight and get enough sleep. Following these simple steps will help keep your immune system working effectively.
Surprisingly, few studies have investigated how nutrition affects the immune system, but there is limited evidence showing that vitamin deficiencies can alter immune responses in animals. If you don’t like fruits and vegetables or think your diet isn’t healthy, ask your doctor about taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement. It’s worth being cautious as taking too much of a single vitamin could be harmful. Older people often eat a less varied diet that can be deficient in specific micronutrients, and dietary supplements may help them maintain a stronger and healthier immune system, but again it is something that should be discussed with a GP.